Wildfires rage in several Balkan countries

Macedonia’s authorities declared a thirty day state of emergency due to the huge forest fires in Caska and Makedonski Brod municipalities. The crisis management steering committee decided that the Macedonian army should also help the firefighting teams deal with the calamity. Teams from Bulgaria and Turkey have been also helping Macedonia’s firefighters extinguish the wildfires. Seven forest fires occurred in Albania on Sunday. The fire devastated dozens of hectares of pine forests and bushes. A state of emergency over forest fires was also declared on the Greek island of Kythera. 80 firefighters, 30 fire trucks and machines, 3 helicopters, a plane and 80 soldiers have been attempting to put out the wildfire there.

August 5 - hottest day in Belgrade since 1928

August 5 was the hottest day in Belgrade in the past 130 years, the Serbian authorities announced. Between 4 and 5 pm on Sunday the thermometers in Serbia’s capital hit 40C. The previous record was registered in the remote 1928- 39C. Red code over extreme heat was declared in all Serbian districts on Monday. According to weather forecasts, the heat in Serbia will continue until August 10. 

Albania’s opposition accuses Premier Rama for not declaring state of emergency over severe wildfires

The Socialist Movement for Integration (SMI) in Albania accused Premier Edi Rama for not declaring a state of emergency over the numerous severe wildfires that spread across the whole country. Representatives of SMI stated that: ”the fire has been devastating the properties of the Albanians, while Edi Rama is on holiday and does not care about the heavy situation”.

President Recep Erdogan introduces dress-code for defendants appearing on trials linked to 2016 failed coup: Turkish media

According to some Turkish media, President Recep Erdogan has introduced a dress-code for all defendants appearing in court for alleged involvement in last year’s failed coup attempt. There would be two types of brown outfits for criminal suspects: jumpsuits for “coup plotters” and jackets and trousers for terrorism suspects.

Two-year-old Bear Riku to be brought to Belitsa Dancing Bears Park from Albania

The people employed at the Dancing Bears Park near Belitsa (Southwest Bulgaria) are quite busy during the holiday season. The number of visitors to the park for re-adaptation of dancing bears in Andrianov Chark locality has increased dramatically and continues to rise. Currently twenty five bears are accommodated at the park. On August 7 a special team of Four Paws Foundation is to depart to Albania to rescue 17 year-old bear Jeta. Three months ago two-year-old bear Riku was also brought from Albania. He was rescued from a village in the mountainous region of Skrapar in the southern part of Albania.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov
Photos: BGNES